The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-03-08
UNCLE TOMMY STERETT.
The Husband OF Five wives and Fe-
ther OF twenty-five Children.

nt Va TtNt f'ff'' "s>-
ther OF twenty-five Children.
One of the most familiar characters
about Hamilton, and one whom every
body knows, is Uncle Tommy Sterett,
writes Hamilton. o., correspondents
of The Cincinnati Commercials Gazette.
The 9TH of this month he celebrated
his seventy-seyenth birthday anniver-
sary, and. from appearances, will live
to celebrate many more He was
born near Venice on the Miami. His
first work was for Isaac Anderson,
with whom he lived as Il farmland,
receiving SO month for the lirat year.
Mr.. Sterett has outlived four wives.
and now lives in happiness with his
fifth. He first married Mary Wells, OF
Kentucky, the couple starting in life
together in y log cabin Twelve feet
square with Dirt floor and a chimney
made of NAL and sticks. The wife
weayed and purchased flour, while the
husband mauicd rails in exchange for
meat. BY his first wife Mr.. Sterett
was the father of eighteen children.
Mr. Siorelt's second wife was Isabel
Broser, by whom he had one child.
The old gentleman sad he could not
remember the dates when he married
his different wives, MS his memory was
poor, and he couldn't recolect these
little things After living four orl
five years Isabel died. and Mrs. Martha!
Nichols took her place. This was along
about 1852, and five children resulted
from this union.
Mrs. Robert Pierce became the fourth
Mrs. Thomas Sterett, and she died
about twelve years ago in Indiana,
without leaving any children Uncle
TommyS present wife was the widow
of William Smith. One child-John-
ME, aged los the last addition to
the Sterett family and he completes
the even quarter of a hundred children
who claim the old man as their father.
These children have grown up, mar
ried, and EN- grated. and many Of them
are living to-day in parts unknown to
Their aged parent
Mr. Sterett lived in Hamilton in 1915,
when, us he says, ii was common
sight to see Indians, bears, panthers,
deer, wild turkeys, foxes and wolves
in the roads, and proving about the
town. He has always been democrat,
always expects to be, and first voted
for Andrew Jackson for president
When the war broke out five of his
own sons aud four stcp-sons went to
the front, and served until they became
veterans The old man wanted to 90,
but the boys thought there were enough
out of one family, and that he had bet
ter stay home and take care of tho
children, while they did the fighting.
The farthest he was ever away from
home was a trip to Louisville to see
his boys during the rebellion. AL
though a bitter democrat, and from
Butler county, too, the old man was
loyal, and opposed to the conduct of
the south. Had he had more sons fit
for duty they, too, should have gone,
Mr.. Sterett asserted. as he recalled
those stirring days.
Uncle Tommy has been a laboring
man all his life, and was boss of the
First ward street gang for nine years.
To-day he is able to walk To his daugh-
ter's house, fourteen miles away, in less
than four hours, and none can work hard
err than he. He has used the weed since
his fourteenth year and worked for
half a century, seeing nothing but hard
knocks and much trouble. but !, at
present strong and hearty